Horgan proposes changes to protect residents of B.C. trailer parks

The provincial government is proposing changes to the Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act that will create fairness for tenants when landlords choose to close or convert a park

On a stop in Penticton during his tour of the South Okanagan on Tuesday, Premier John Horgan announced increasing security for owners of manufactured homes by increasing the compensation they will receive if they are forced to move because of redevelopment.

“People deserve to feel safe and secure in their housing. For too long, manufactured home owners have faced uncertainty due to rising land values and redevelopment, and they have not had adequate protections when evicted. No one should have to face financial ruin or potential homelessness when facing eviction from a manufactured home park,” Premier John Horgan said. “We are taking action to give people increased peace of mind by strengthening protections for owners of manufactured homes.”

Legislation will be introduced to enact the changes later this month and are said to provide stronger protections for people affected by manufactured home park closures by:

* ensuring the effective date of a 12-month notice to end tenancy is the same for all tenancy agreements under the act;

* increasing the amount of compensation landlords pay tenants who have been given a notice to end tenancy, in order to convert a park;

* increasing the amount of compensation a landlord owes a former tenant if the landlord gave notice, but did not do the conversion;

* providing additional compensation if a manufactured home cannot be relocated; and

* clarifying that a tenant who is unable to relocate their manufactured home is not responsible for disposal costs of the home.

They are changes the Hugh Chown, president of the Penticton and District Manufactured Home Owners Association said are long overdue.

“What many people don’t realize, is that when a park is closed, the Tennant doesn’t just lose a place to live, they also lose the equity in the home. It can cost $15,000 to relocate a home, and that’s assuming you can find a place to move it to,” said Chown.

Chown agreed with the province’s stance that current compensation is too low to cover a tenant’s moving costs, or loss of equity and loss of affordability that happens when tenants can’t find a place to move their home. The proposed amendments are intended to assist displaced tenants to move their home to another site, if possible, and compensate them for the loss of their home if they are unable to move it.

The changes are part of government’s 30-point plan for a fairer housing market.